meyers



Sept. 24, 1963 E. H. MEYERS BALL OR JAR MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 4, 1961 ""IHIHHL I I I l l I I I FHH I I'I ln l h l I INVENTOK ELWOOO HMsve/ej BY a?! Q e-/ A TTOENEYS.

'FLEJ Sept. 24, 1963 E. H. MEYERS BALL OR JAR MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1961 INVENTOR. ELWooo HMEYEQS EM FLE E ATTORNEYS Sept. 24, 1963 E. H MEYERS BALL OR JAR MILL 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed April 4, 1961 FLE-5 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,104,836 BALL 0R JAR MILL Ellwood H. Meyers, Brecksville, Ohio, assignor to Klaas Machine and Manufacturing Company, Independence, Ohio, a corporation of ()hio Filed Apr. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 109,711 Claims. (Cl. 241-175) This invention relates to ball or jar mills.

The general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ball or jar mill which is more efiicient, effective and economical in operation than existing ball or jar mills.

Further objects of this invention include the provision of a new improved ball or jar mill which provides for a plurality of individual jars or containers equiangularly spaced about a central axis; which both vibrates the jars and rotates them about an external axis; which includes improved means for vibrating the jars and means for rotating the jars about an external axis whereby to insure that the charge remains homogeneous; which is balanced to reduce vibration of the mill as a whole while provid ing for and permitting vibration of the individual jars; and which may be adapted for use of jars of any desired size.

Still further objects of this invention include the provision of a new and improved ball or jar mill which includes a plurality of jar support arms, which are freely supported on a central axis and support a plurality of jars laterally spaced from said axis and which are equiangularly spaced about said axis; which are rotatably supported on a central axis and resiliently spaced about said axis to prevent adjacent jars from contacting and engaging each other; which are vibrated out of phase to balance the entire mill to reduce vibration therein; which are rapidly oscillated or vibrated and simultaneously rotated about the central axis; which are rotated about an axis external of the jars mounted thereon; which are rapidly vibrated or oscillated by rotary motion of a shaft turning on its own axis; and, which are rotated about the axis of the shaft which induces vibration.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an improved ball or jar mill which provides an improved grind; which is faster and more effective and efiicient; which has improved means for vibrating the jars with rotary motion; which has means for vibrating the jars and rotating them about an external axis coincident with the axis of the shaft inducing vibrations and oscillation to the jars; which supports a plurality of jars; and, which is dynamically balanced and provides for the rapid oscillation and vibration of the individual jars or mills while reducing and substantially neutralizing the vibration of the mill as a whole.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a :new and improved ball or jar mill obtaining one or more of the objects and advantages hereinabove set forth.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a ball or jar mill embodying a preferred form of this invention;

motor means.

thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the ball or jar mill shown in FIGURE 1 and viewed along the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the ball or jar mill shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a broken section viewed along the line 44- of FIGURE 1.

Ball and jar mills of both laboratory and production sizes are commonly used for grinding and pulverizing. Broadly such mills commonly include a cylindrical vessel, container or jar within which a plurality of balls, pebbles or other grinding media are disposed and means to impart movement to the jar so that the balls or pebbles move relative to each other and the jar, contacting and rebounding against each other to grind the charge or material to be ground, which is also placed with the jar.

The improved mill embodying this invention is adapted to provide a more effective and eflicient grind by providing both a rapid vibratory or oscillatory motion to the jars and charge and balls therein, as well as a rotary motion which prevents settling of the charge due to the vibration and ensures that the charge remains mixed and substantially homogeneous at all times. Further the mill embodying this invention has improved dynamic balance whereby to equalize or reduce the vibratory effects in the aparatus as a whole.

In the preferred form of the invention described herein the mill has a horizontal drive shaft and is adapted for use with jars or containers of relatively small size such as are commonly used in laboratories and the like although all or part of the principles and structure hereof may be adapted for use with and incorporated in larger or production size mills or in mills having a vertical drive shaft.

A ball or jar mill embodying a preferred form of this invention is indicated generally at 1, FIGURE 1. Apparatus 1 includes a stand or frame 2 upon which the apparatus is mounted as a self-contained whole, albeit it is within the scope of this invention to mount and support various of the parts and portions of the apparatus 1 on separate supports or to drive the apparatus with external Conveniently stand 2 includes vertical legs 4 and horizontal members 5 formed of suitable angles and plate. Vertical uprights 7 are rigidly mounted and secured, by suitable means such as welding, to stand 2 and aligned bearings 8 are supported on uprights 7. A drive shaft 10 is rotatably supported in and between the bearings 8 and is adapted to be rotated, about its axis, by suitable drive means such as motor 11, which is conveniently mounted on stand 2 and drives shaft 10 through belt 14 and pulley 16 mounted on shaft 10 so as to turn therewith. Alternatively, as noted above, shaft 10 may be driven by a motor source, carried on other supporting structure or connected in driving relation with shaft 10 by other suitable means. Apparatus 1, also, includes means for supporting a plurality of containers or jars in dynamically balanced relationship on shaft 10 and imparting a rapid vibratory or oscillatory movement To this end apparatus 1 includes a plurality of support arms 28, which are rotatably supported on shaft 10 in a manner to be hereinafter more fully explained. Arms 2% extend transversely of shaft 10 and support a plurality of equiangularly spaced jars in laterally spaced relationship with shaft 10.

Conveniently each arm 29 comprises a pair of'longitudinally spaced, parallel radial members 21 upon which are mounted, by suitable means such as welding, the jar carriers 23. Each carrier 23 is preferably semicylindrical and has a hinged strap 24 and locking means or clamps 26 so that the carrier may be opened and closed and a conventional jar or container, not shown, may be securely, though removably, supported in and on the apparatus 1. Preferably each arm 20 is adapted to support two jars spaced apart 180 and each apparatus 1 includes two arms 20.

Since arms 20 are rotatably supported on shaft 10, and since it is desired to minimize vibration in the apparatus as a whole without impairing the vibration of the arms and jars and their contents and without preventing the necessary relative movement which occurs between adjacent jars due to the vibration or oscillation thereof, apparatus 1 includes means resiliently interconnecting the adjacent carriers and spacing them and the jars contained therein about the shaft 10.

To this end a spring 27 extends between each pair of adjacent carriers, preferably, as shown, at both ends thereof, and has its respective ends rotatably secured to the respective carriers so that the adjacent carriers may have limited movement relative to each other while being biased toward and maintained in substantial equiangularly spaced relationship.

In order to vibrate or oscillate the jars, each member 21 of each arm 20 is rotatably supported on shaft by suitable means such as roller bearings 28 which in turn are mounted on cams 29 carried on or formed integral with shaft 10. Thus as shaft 10 rotates within and relative to the arms 20, the arms are vibrated or oscillated in a plane transversely of and relative to the shaft 10. The cams 29 for each arm: are equiangularly spaced on shaft v10 relative to each other, so that each arm vibrates out of phase with the others and the resultant forces are or tend to be neutralized. Thus when, as shown, apparatus 1 includes two arms 20, the earns 29 are disposed 180 degrees out of phase so that one arm 29 is moving up when the other is moving down and vice versa.

The throw of the cams 29 is relatively small, preferably about one-fourth inch, for example, so that rotation of shaft 10 produces and induces rapid, short vibrations or oscillations in the arms 20 and in the charge in the jars carried and supported thereon.

In order to provide means to prevent and preclude the vibrations or oscillations from causing the charge in each jar to segregate or settle out, apparatus 1 also includes means to rotate each jar about an =axisexternal of the jar, shaft 10. To this end a pulley 3% is rotatably supported on shaft 10, see FIGURE 1, so that shaft -10 and pulley 30 may be rotated relative to and independently of each other.

Pulley 30 is driven by suitable means, such as motor 31, acting through belt 33, albeit pulley 30 may be driven by other motor means, as with pulley 16, or by means of motor 11. However, pulley 30 is adapted to be driven at a substantially slower rate than shaft 10 so that the speed of rotation of pulley 30 and ultimately of the jars about the axis of shaft 16 is less than the speed of vibration or oscillation.

The rotation of pulley 30 is transmitted to the arms 20 so that the jars are rotated about the axis of shaft 10 by suitable means such as a plate 34, which is secured to or formed integrally with pulley 30, and links 36, which interconnect plate 34 with each, preferably, of the adjacent springs 27 and pull the springs and thereby the arms 20 in rotation about the shaft 10, without however preventing or interfering with the vibratory or oscillatory motion of the arms 20 and the jars carried thereby.

In use jars or other containers containing balls or other suitable grinding media are filled with a charge of material to be ground. The clamps 26 are loosened, straps 24 are opened and the jar mills placed 'within the carriers 23. Straps 24 are then closed and clamps 26 tightened to retain the jar mills in the apparatus.

Motors 11 and 31 are then actuated. Motor 11 drives shaft 10 rotating it rapidly and turning cams 29 relative to the arms, thereby causing the arms (and the jars and their contents) to be vibrated and oscillated. Simultaneously pulley 3% is rotated, relatively slowly, conveniently about 60 rpm, relative to 1800 rpm. for shaft 10, for example, and in turn rotates the arms 20 about and independently of shaft 10. The motion thereby induced in and to the contents of the jars (balls and charge) effec tively and efficiency grinds the charge while preventing any segregating or settling out of the charge within the ars.

Tests have shown that apparatus embodying this invention to be as much a 700 percent faster in providing a desired grind with resultant economies in operation and effectiveness in use.

Modifications, changes and improvements to the preferred form of the invention herein described may occur to those skilled in the art who come to understand the principles and precepts thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the patent issued hereon should be limited by the advance by which the invention has promoted the art and not by the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed and described.

I claim:

1. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably supported on said frame, a first pulley secured to said shaft and rotatable therewith, a first motor mounted on said frame for driving said first pulley, a plurality of cams on said shaft and rotatable thereby, two support arms rotatably mounted on saidshaft and extending transversely thereof, each said support arm comprising longitudinally spaced, parallel radial members,

a pair of semi-cylindrical jar or container carriers secured on said radial members and spaced laterally from said shaft and 180 degrees apart and having longitudinally spaced ends, said arms being disposed degrees apart, the cams on which said arms, respectively, are mounted being degrees out of phase, a strap hingedly supported on each said carrier, lock means for locking said strap across said carrier to secure a jar or container, within which the matter to be ground is disposed, therein, a spring extending between each pair of adjacent carriers at both ends thereof and having an end pivotally secured to each said adjacent carrier whereby to maintain said carriers in proper spacial position relative to each other while permitting limited relative motion therebetween, a

second pulley rotatably mounted on said shaft; a second motor carried by said frame for driving said second pulley on and independently of said shaft, a plate carried by said second pulley and disposed adjacent one end of said carriers, and means interconnecting said plate with each said adjacent spring intermediate its ends, said second pulley rotating at a substantially slower speed than said first pulley.

2. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft totatably supported on said frame, a first pulley secured 180 degrees apart and having longitudinally spaced ends,

said arms being disposed 90 degrees apart, the cams on which said arms, respectively, are mounted being 180 degrees out of phase, means for securing a jar or container, within .which the matter to be ground is disposed, in each said carrier, a spring extending between each pair of adjacent carriers at both ends thereof and having an end pivot-ally secured to each said adjacent carrier whereby to maintain said carriers in proper spacial position relative to each other while permitting limited relative motion therebetween, a second pulley rotatably mounted on said shaft for independent rotation relative thereto; a plate carried by said second pulley and disposed adjacent one end of said carriers, means interconnecting said plate with each said adjacent spring intermediate its ends, and means for driving said pulleys, said second pulley rotating at a substantially slower speed than said first pulley.

3. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably supported on said frame, first pulley means secured to said shaft and rotatable therewith, a plurality of cams on said shaft and rotatable thereby, a plurality of support arms rotatably mounted on said shaft and extending transversely thereof, each said support arm comprising longitudinally spaced, parallel radial members, each of which is rotatably supported on a said cam, and a pair of semi-cylindrical jar or container carriers secured on said radial members and spaced laterally from said shaft and .180 degrees apart and having longitudinally spaced ends, said arms being substantially equiangularly disposed about said shaft, the cams on which said arms, respectively, are mounted being equiangularly out of phase, means for securing a jar or container, within which the matter to be ground is disposed, in each said carrier, spring means extending between each pair of adjacent carriers at both ends thereof and having an end pivotally secured to each said adjacent carrier whereby to maintain said carriers in proper spacial position relative to each other while permitting limited relative motion therebetween, second pulley means rotatably mounted on said shaft for independent rotation relative thereto and disposed at one end of said carriers, means interconnecting said second pulley means with each said adjacent spring means intermediate its ends, and means for rotating both said pulley means, said second pulley means rotating at a substantially slower speed than said first pulley means.

4. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably supported on said frame, first pulley means carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, a plurality of cams on said shaft and rotatable thereby, two support arms rotatably mounted on said shaft and extending transversely thereof, each said support arm comprising longitudinally spaced, parallel radial members, each of which is rotatably supported on a said cam, and a pair of semi-cylindrical jar or container carriers secured on said radial members and spaced laterally from said shaft and 180 degrees apart and having longitudinally spaced ends, said arms being disposed 90 degrees apart, the cams on which said arms, respectively, are mounted being 180 degrees out of phase, means for securing a jar or container, Within which the matter to be ground is disposed, in each said carrier, resilient means extending between each pair of adjacent carriers at one end thereof and having an end pivotally secured to each said adjacent carrier whereby to maintain said carriers in proper spacial position relative to each other while permitting limited relative motion therebetween, second pulley means rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent said end of said carriers for independent rotation relative thereto, means interconnecting said second pulley means with each said adjacent spring means intermediate its ends, and means for rotating both said pulley means, said second pulley means rotating at a substantially slower speed than said first pulley means.

5. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably suppotred on said frame, first pulley means carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, a plurality of cam means on said shaft and rotatable thereby, two

support arms rotatably mounted on said cam means, respectively, and extending transversely of said shaft, a pair of semi-cylindrical jar Io-r container carrier means carried by said support arms and spaced laterally from said shaft and 180 degrees apart, said arms being disposed degrees apart, the cam means on which said. arms, respectively, are mounted being degrees out of phase, resilient means extending between each pair of adjacent carrier means and having an end secured to each said adjacent carrier means whereby to maintain said carrier means in proper spacial position relative to each other while permitting limited relative motion therebetween, second pulley means rotatably mounted on said shaft for independent rotation thereon, means interconnecting said second pulley means with a said resilient means between each said pair of adjacent carrier means intermediate the ends of said resilient means, and means to rotate said pulley means, said second pulley means rotating at a substantially slower speed than said first pulley means.

6. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably supported on said frame, a plurality of cam means carried by said shaft and rotatable thereby, a plurality of support arms rotatably mounted on said cam means, respectively, and extending transversely of said shaft, jar or container carrier means carried by said arms and spaced laterally from and equiangularly about said shaft, said arms being equi-angularly spaced about said shaft, the cam means on which said arms, respectively, are mounted being equiangularly out of phase relative .to each other, resilient means extending between adjacent carrier means to maintain said support arms in proper spacial position relative to each other while permitting limited relative motion therebetween, means to drive said shaft, and means engaging said resilient means and rotating said arms about said shaft, said arms rotating about said shaft at a substantially slower speed than said shaft rotates.

7. The ball or ja-r mill according to claim 6 comprising two said support arms.

8. A ball or jar mill comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably supported on said frame, a plurality of cam means carried by said shaft and rotatable thereby, a plurality of support arms rotatably mounted on said cam means, respectively, and extending transversely of said shaft, jar or container carrier means carried by said arms and spaced laterally from and equiangularly about said shaft, said arms being equiangularly spaced about said shaft, the cam means on which said arms, respectively, are mounted being equiangularly out of phase relative to each other, resilient means extending between adjacent carrier means to maintain said support arms in proper spacial position relative to each other While permitting limited relative motion therebetween, means to drive said shaft, and means for rotating said arms about said shaft at substantially slower speed than said shaft rotates.

9. A ball or jar mill comprising a supporting structure having shaft means rotatably supported thereon, said shaft means including a plurality of cam means rotatable there with, a plurality of support arm means rotatably mounted on said cam means, respectively, and extending transversely of said shaft means, said support arm means including jar or container carrier means for supporting a plurality of jars or containers, containing the matter to be ground, equiangularly spaced about and laterally spaced from said shaft means, means biasing said support arm means to be positioned equiangularly about said shaft means while permitting relative motion therebetween, means for rotating said shaft means, and means for rotating said support arm means about said shaft means at a substantially different speed than said shaft means is rota-ted.

10. A ball or jar mill comprising a supporting structure having shaft means rotatably supported thereon, said shaft means including a plurality of cam means rotatable therewith, a plurality of support arm means rotatably mounted on said cam means, respectively, and therebetween, means for rotating said shaft means, and extending transversely of said shaft means, said support means for rotating said support arms about and relative arm means including jar or container carrier means for to said shaft means.

supporting a plurality of jars or containers, containing the matter to be ground, equiangularly spaced about and 5 References Cted m the file Of thls patent laterally spaced from said shaft means, means biasing UNITED STATES PATENTS said support arm means to be positi n d equiangularly 1,794,041 Stone Feb. 24, 1931 about said shaft means while permitting relative motion 2,760,729 Mittag et a1 Aug. 28, 1956 

10. A BALL OR JAR MILL COMPRISING A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE HAVING SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED THEREON, SAID SHAFT MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CAM MEANS ROTATABLE THEREWITH, A PLURALITY OF SUPPORT ARM MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CAM MEANS, RESPECTIVELY, AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SHAFT MEANS, SAID SUPPORT ARM MEANS INCLUDING JAR OR CONTAINER CARRIER MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF JARS OR CONTAINERS, CONTAINING THE MATTER TO BE GROUND, EQUIANGULARLY SPACED ABOUT AND LATERALLY SPACED FROM SAID SHAFT MEANS, MEANS BIASING SAID SUPPORT ARM MEANS TO BE POSITIONED EQUIANGULARLY ABOUT SAID SHAFT MEANS WHILE PERMITTING RELATIVE MOTION 